PLANETARY EXPLORATION NEWSLETTER Volume 1, Number 30 (November 11, 2007) PEN Website: http://planetarynews.org Editor: Matt Balme Co-Editors: Mark V. Sykes, Nic Richmond Email: pen_editor at psi.edu o-------------------------TABLE OF CONTENTS---------------------------o 1. [SPECIAL NASA MESSAGE] From Alan Stern and James Green: Mars Science Laboratory Mission Update 2. [NASA] October 2007 Discovery and New Frontiers Newsletter Released 3. Administrator Griffin to Speak at Upcoming 39th LPSC 4. Planetary Community Input on SOFIA Science Goals Requested 5. Workshop on Martian Gullies - Call for Abstracts 6. 155th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, Paris 2008: First Announcement 7. Planetary Geomorphology Session at EGU 2008: Call for Papers 8. Community Meetings on Student Collaborations: AGU and AAS 9. USGS Job Announcements 10. Faculty Position Available at the University of Washington 11. Planetary Meeting Calendar Additions o---------------------------------------------------------------------o 1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1 [SPECIAL NASA MESSAGE] FROM ALAN STERN AND JAMES GREEN: MARS SCIENCE LABORATORY MISSION UPDATE Dear Colleagues: We are very happy to announce that MARDI and ChemCam's cost issues have been solved and both instruments are going forward to launch on MSL. Malin Space Science Systems has agreed that there will be no additional costs to NASA for the completion of the Mars Descent Imager (MARDI). Furthermore, funds returned to the Mars Exploration Program from the unfortunate elimination of MARDI operations on Phoenix will be used to support MARDI integration on MSL. In the case of ChemCam, LANL, the French Space Agency (CNES), and even other MSL instrument team members have developed a series of descopes and support arrangements to allow instrument completion, reducing the development cost-to-go by a little over 80%--i.e., from $2.5M to about $400K. As a result, ChemCam will be funded another $400K by the Mars exploration Program, allowing them to complete development. This outcome is even better than we had imagined possible in September, when MARDI was descoped and ChemCam was cost capped to save money so that MSL itself could complete development without raiding other missions or R&A. We thank MSSS, LANL, and JPL for their diligence and hard work in finding solutions to these payload issues. We also thank the community for their support of the Mars Exploration Program, the MSL mission, and for the concept of containing costs on one mission so as not to jeopardize others. The support of the NAC in commending our cost control efforts in SMD is also very much appreciated. MSL's launch is now just 21 months away! Though there remain many challenges ahead, the mission remains as exciting as ever, and we can celebrate that that highly anticipated return will not come at the expense of other SMD projects or R&A grants. Sincerely, Alan Stern and Jim Green NASA Headquarters 2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2 [NASA] OCTOBER 2007 DISCOVERY AND NEW FRONTIERS NEWSLETTER RELEASED Table of Contents: Dawn Begins Journey to Asteroid Belt Discovery@15 Conference Draws 170 to Huntsville NExT & EPOXI - New Roles for Stardust and Deep Impact Spacecraft MESSENGER On Track for First Flyby of Mercury New Horizons Continues to Cruise Kepler Sets New Launch Date Juno Planning and Testing Continue ASPERA-3 Gets Green Light for 2nd Extension M3 Arrives in India Go to: http://discoverynewfrontiers.nasa.gov/news/newsletters to view and subscribe. 3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3 NASA ADMINISTRATOR GRIFFIN TO SPEAK AT UPCOMING 39TH LPSC The Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) is pleased to announce the upcoming 39th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (LPSC). This year's meeting will highlight NASA's renewed emphasis on lunar activities. Special sessions will focus on the current state of lunar knowledge, new and current missions to the Moon, and lunar network science. LPSC will also feature Dr. Michael Griffin, NASA's current Administrator, as the Monday evening keynote speaker. The lunar focus for the 39th LPSC is especially timely in light of its coincidence with the LPI's 40th anniversary. The Institute was established in 1968 during the Apollo missions to create a new lunar and planetary science community, and over the past four decades has served as an international leader and focal point for what is now a diverse and thriving community. We are pleased to celebrate this important milestone with the community as we look forward to NASA's return to the Moon. LPSC will be held March 10-14, 2008, at the South Shore Harbor Resort and Conference Center, League City, Texas. This conference brings together international specialists in petrology, geochemistry, geophysics, geology, and astronomy research in lunar and planetary science. For information, contact: Mary Cloud LPI Meeting Planner 281-486-2143 cloud@lpi.usra.edu [Editor's note: This post has been slightly edited for length] 4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4 PLANETARY COMMUNITY INPUT ON SOFIA SCIENCE GOALS REQUESTED The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) is a 2.5-meter telescope aboard a Boeing 747-SP aircraft with instruments designed to make sensitive, high-angular resolution measurements over 0.3 microns to 1.6 mm. It is scheduled to begin science operation in 2009. The SOFIA Science Advisory Committee is requesting input from the planetary science community to articulate major science themes and how SOFIA can uniquely address any of them. In your opinion, what are the five or six most important questions that may be addressed by this facility? Information about the initial instruments can be seen at: http://www.sofia.usra.edu/Science/instruments/sci_instruments.html Please send your responses to sykes@psi.edu. Your input is much appreciated. Thank you! 5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5 WORKSHOP ON MARTIAN GULLIES - CALL FOR ABSTRACTS ABSTRACT DEADLINE: Tuesday, November 13 Workshop on Martian Gullies: Theories and Tests February 4 -5, 2008 Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, Texas Reminder: The abstract deadline for the Workshop on Martian Gullies: Theories and Tests, to be held February 4-5, 2008, at the LPI in Houston, Texas is TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13. For more information about the workshop, visit the workshop website at: http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/gullies2008/ 6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6 155TH MEETING OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA, PARIS 2008: FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT Of interest to the planetary community is the session ACOUSTIC PROBES OF PLANETARY ENVIRONMENTS, which is intended to bring together the terrestrial acoustics and the planetary science communities. Topics of discussion in previous sessions included, for example, acoustic modelling in planetary atmospheres, results from previous missions, current and planned instrumentation, and terrestrial techniques that would be applicable on other planets. The planetary acoustic environment includes study of the atmospheres, liquids and also the solid surface. A formal call for papers will be issued in late 2007. For more information see: www.acoustics08-paris.org Dr. M. Towner Planetary and Space Sciences Research Institute, Open University, United Kingdom 7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7 PLANETARY GEOMORPHOLOGY SESSION AT EGU 2008: CALL FOR PAPERS Contributed abstract submissions are solicited for the Planetary Geomorphology session at the European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly to be held in Vienna, Austria, 13-18th April 2008. Session ID: IS14 - GM1.1/PS3.8 Research themes for this session include: - Remote sensing studies of the landforms of planetary solid bodies and the processes that shaped them. - In-situ studies of planetary landforms from analysis of landing craft data. - Terrestrial field and laboratory studies of landforms and processes that have clear application to other planetary bodies. - Geomorphological/geological mapping of solid planetary bodies. - Techniques and advances in fields such as remote sensing, GIS, and computing specifically relevant to planetary geomorphology. - Studies of planetary surfaces that can tell us more about geomorphological processes on our own planet. Presentations discussing landforms and processes on Mars, Titan, Venus, Mercury, the Moon, asteroids and other solid bodies will all be most welcome. For general information see: http://meetings.copernicus.org/egu2008/ or email egu2008@copernicus.org For abstract submission see: http://meetings.copernicus.org/egu2008/how_to_submit_an_abstract.html For session information see: http://meetings.copernicus.org/egu2008/ Click 'Call for papers', and again 'Call for papers,' then 'Geomorphology'. Then click 'Information' or 'Organizer' under the session 'public links'. Convenors: Matt Balme, Sanjeev Gupta, Stephan van Gasselt 8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8 COMMUNITY MEETINGS ON STUDENT COLLABORATIONS: AGU AND AAS You are invited to attend community workshops at the upcoming AGU and AAS Meetings on Student Collaboration opportunities within NASA's Science Mission Directorate AGU: Sunday, December 9th, 2007, 1:00-6:00 p.m., Yerba Buena Salons 1-2 Marriott Hotel, San Francisco, CA. AAS: Monday, January 7th, 2008 1:00-6:00 p.m., Hilton Hotel, Austin, TX A Student Collaboration Definition Team (SCDT) was initiated by NASA in February 2007 to provide community perspectives to NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) on participation of undergraduates in SMD programs. These community workshops offer the opportunity for scientists and educators to learn about SMD Student Collaborations and provide further input to the SCDT. The specific emphasis during these workshops is to discuss the draft white paper of the SCDT. 1:00-2:30: Discussion of the Science Definition Team Progress and White Paper (Dr. Emily CoBabe-Ammann, University of Colorado and Dr. David Klumpar, Montana State University, chairs) 2:30-3:30: Short community-member presentations that highlight the wide variety of Student Collaborations. 3:30-6:00: Open discussion. Anyone interested in presenting a 5-10 minute overview on a specific Student Collaboration should contact: Emily CoBabe-Ammann (ecobabe@lasp.colorado.edu) or David Klumpar (klump@physics.montana.edu). The NASA/SMD Student Collaborations Definition Team White Paper will be released on November 16th and available at http://lasp.colorado.edu. 9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9 USGS JOB ANNOUNCEMENTS The Astrogeology Team of the U.S. Geological Survey in Flagstaff, Arizona has two openings for full-time, permanent research scientists in Geology, Geophysics, and/or Physical Science at the GS-13 to GS-15 grade levels (comparable to Asst Prof/Assoc Prof/Full Professor). The salary range is $75,414 to $136,273. Please see our Web site http://astrogeology.usgs.gov/ For more information on the breadth of our research program. Also see http://astrogeology.usgs.gov/About/Careers to learn more about the Astrogeology Team and living and working in Flagstaff, AZ. In addition to meeting basic qualification requirements (including U.S. citizenship), the selectee is expected to have an externally funded research program in planetary science and will be responsible for leading and managing their research projects, from initiation to delivery of final products. To learn more or to apply go to either http://www.usgs.gov/ohr/oars click on "Browse Vacancies" to view the Vacancy Announcement Numbers: WR-2008-0077 (Research Geologist) WR-2008-0064 (Research Geophysicist) WR-2008-0077 (Research Physical Scientist) or go to http://www.usajobs.opm.gov and search on the above Vacancy announcement Numbers. Applicants must apply online at the OARS site by midnight eastern time on 11/23/07. Please direction questions to Rose Wheeler (rwheeler@usgs.gov). 10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10 FACULTY POSITION AVAILABLE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON The Department of Earth and Space Sciences at the University of Washington invites applications for a full-time tenure-track faculty member whose research focus is within space science. We are especially interested in scholars with experimental expertise in the design and conduct of in-situ orbital, sub-orbital or ground-based observations associated with solar, planetary atmospheric, magnetospheric, ionospheric or aeronomic physics. Full information regarding this tenure-track faculty position is available at: http://www.washington.edu/admin/acadpers/communications/ad/aa1951.html Applications should be sent to: Space Sciences Search Committee c/o Dept. of Earth and Space Sciences University of Washington Box 351310 Seattle, WA 98195-1310 and must include a curriculum vitae and list of publications, a statement of research and teaching experience and interests, and three letters of reference (sent directly to the search committee by the referees). Priority will be given to applications, including recommendations, received by January 7, 2008. 11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11 PLANETARY MEETING CALENDAR ADDITIONS Posted at http://planetarynews.org/meetings.html January 7-10, 2008 46th American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Aerospace Science s Meeting and Exhibit http://www.aiaa.org/content.cfm?pageid=230&lumeetingid=1065 Reno, NV June 1-6, 2008 Solar Variability, Earth's Climate and the Space Environment http://solar.physics.montana.edu/SVECSE2008/ Bozeman, MT July 6-11, 2008 Astronomical Polarimetry 2008 - Science from Small to Large Telescopes http://www.astro.umontreal.ca/astropol2008/ La Malbaie, Quebec, Canada [Editor Note: If there is a planetary-related meeting, conference or workshop that you think your colleagues should be aware of, please send the date, title, URL and location to pen_editor at psi.edu.] *********************************************************************** * * The Planetary Exploration Newsletter is issued approximately weekly. * Current and back issues are available at * * http://planetarynews.org * * To subscribe, go to http://planetarynews.org/pen_subscribe.html * * To unsubscribe, go to http://planetarynews.org/pen_unsubscribe.html * * Please send all replies and submissions to pen_editor at psi.edu. * Announcements and other messages should be brief with links to URLs * for extended information, including detailed descriptions for job * announcements. 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